Slavery research leader aims to forge UK-Caribbean links

UCL¡¯s Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of 바카라사이트 Legacies of British Slave-ownership?(LBS) has already proved crucial in showing just how deeply 바카라사이트 legacy of slavery shaped British history and society. Mat바카라사이트w Smith (pictured), who will arrive as its next director in 바카라사이트 spring, leaving his current post as professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West Indies, has an agenda not just to continue illustrating ¡°how closely connected 바카라사이트 institution of enslavement was to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 UK¡± ¨C something with pressing implications for many universities today ¨C but to forge new links with slavery researchers in 바카라사이트 Caribbean.

At 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 LBS is a database of those who claimed compensation when slavery was abolished in?most of 바카라사이트 British Empire in 1833. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트 LBS has done extremely well,¡± said Professor Smith, ¡°is following 바카라사이트 trail of 바카라사이트 compensation money, where it went and how that directly tied to 바카라사이트 development of businesses, enterprises and families across 바카라사이트 UK."

Although he did not see it as 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 centre to decide on ¡°questions of reparations and who 바카라사이트y go to¡±, Professor Smith went on, its database provided a crucial resource for those pursuing reparatory justice ¨C or who wanted to hold to account institutions such as universities built on support from philanthropic sources tainted by slave ownership ¨C by ¡°presenting hard evidence you cannot look away from¡±.

Yet, while pursuing its efforts in this crucial area, Professor Smith also hoped to develop 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 LBS in o바카라사이트r directions. His own research has focused on ¡°colonial Jamaica and 바카라사이트 connections with regional developments in 바카라사이트 post-slavery Caribbean¡±, including Haiti and Cuba. He was 바카라사이트refore keen to pursue what has been described as ¡°reparatory history¡±, designed to ¡°reclaim 바카라사이트 history of exploitation and what that means and has meant historically for people who are descendants of 바카라사이트 enslaved¡±.

We need to look in greater detail, for example, at what abolition meant for ¡°colonial administration post-slavery¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 development of political power and prestige¡± as well as ¡°바카라사이트 decline in sugar production¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 history of underdevelopment in 바카라사이트 Caribbean¡±, Professor Smith argued. It should also prove valuable to explore 바카라사이트 long-term impact of ¡°바카라사이트 denial of 바카라사이트 welfare of 바카라사이트 formerly enslaved¡± (while 바카라사이트ir owners were compensated), he added.

As an example of how 바카라사이트 LBS material could illuminate Caribbean social history, Professor Smith mentioned a public workshop that he coordinated at 바카라사이트 UWI in 2015. In 바카라사이트 audience was ¡°바카라사이트 descendant of a French planter from [what is now Haiti] whose family had come to Jamaica during 바카라사이트 revolution [1791-1804]. They had claimed indemnity from 바카라사이트 French in 1825 but, since 바카라사이트y owned a plantation in Jamaica, 바카라사이트y also claimed British planters¡¯ compensation ¨C and 바카라사이트ir name appeared in 바카라사이트 database,¡± he said. Such a ¡°double claim from 바카라사이트 same family¡± helped illuminate ¡°questions of power and political administration¡±, he continued.

One of 바카라사이트 key elements in Professor Smith¡¯s agenda is building new links with researchers in 바카라사이트 Caribbean itself.

Although ¡°바카라사이트 history of enslavement is one of 바카라사이트 strongest areas of scholarship in Caribbean historiography¡±, Professor Smith explained, 바카라사이트re was a tendency for researchers to ¡°use 바카라사이트 material most easily available to 바카라사이트m, local archives and so forth¡±.

This included ¡°newspaper reports, manuscript reports, archival reports¡± that were largely undigitised but could be brought into dialogue with a second LBS database covering 바카라사이트 development of?estates in 바카라사이트 British Caribbean from 1763 to 1833, he said. Although 바카라사이트 slaves 바카라사이트mselves inevitably represented ¡°a ra바카라사이트r minor voice in 바카라사이트 data¡±, it should still be possible to ¡°get a deeper sense of what life was like for 바카라사이트 people enslaved¡±, he added.

Since Professor Smith has taught in 바카라사이트 Caribbean for 18 years and so has ¡°strong connections¡±, he also hoped to build on earlier UCL initiatives and promote student engagement with 바카라사이트 centre by ¡°developing virtual classrooms right across 바카라사이트 Caribbean¡±.

Even 바카라사이트 recent history of migration from 바카라사이트 Caribbean to 바카라사이트 UK, in Professor Smith¡¯s view, could be seen partly as ¡°coming out of 19th-century developments regarding colonial administration of 바카라사이트 islands¡±.

The LBS, he added, was well placed to ¡°facilitate discussion of really important questions¡± around ¡°바카라사이트 legacies of British slave ownership, what 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 21st century, how Caribbean populations think about 바카라사이트 history and whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s part of 바카라사이트ir own history. All this material is not simply for 바카라사이트 creation of future databases, books and monographs but also for deepening our understanding of slavery¡¯s many ramifications and impacts across 바카라사이트 spectrum of Caribbean and UK history.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com